B17005: Review of the use of irrigation water in UK agriculture and the potential risks to food safety
Tuesday 2 October 2007
This research project aims to determine whether current irrigation practices used in UK agriculture pose a risk to food safety through contaminated fresh produce.
Study Duration: 1 November 2006 to 1 May 2007
Contractor: Robens Centre for Public and Environmental Health, University of Surrey
Background
One of the primary uses of water in agriculture is for crop irrigation. The majority of water used for irrigation is abstracted directly from rivers or underground aquifers, additionally some surface waters are stored in on-farm reservoirs to provide continuity of supply during the summer. Wastewater discharges and run-off from agricultural land or faecal waste from wildlife can contaminate rivers and streams with pathogens, if contaminated water is then applied to crops the pathogens could be transferred on to the produce and, with many of these products consumed raw, there is a potential risk to public health.
In 2001 the Agency commissioned a review of the use of water in UK agriculture and the potential risks to food safety. As a result of new information available the Agency has commissioned an updated review focussing on the risk associated with different irrigation water practices. The identified risks will then be compared against current statutory and industry guidelines and controls in order to make recommendations for improvements to current management practices and identify areas for future research.
Research Approach
A review of both published and unpublished data will be used to identify the key foodborne pathogens associated with irrigation waters and the factors relating to their survival in the environment. This together with information on current UK irrigation practices, water management practices and data on the microbiological quality of irrigation waters will be obtained from published sources and from discussions with stakeholders from the irrigation, agricultural and water industries. A quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) will be developed to determine the risks associated with different forms of irrigation for selected crops. The final objective will be to review available guidelines and legislation and make recommendations to improvements management practices and reduce risks.